Stockbridge History

Raeburn Place

Our flat is in the neighborhood of Stockbridge located one mile from Edinburgh's Old Town and City Center. Stockbridge takes it name from the Scots words "stocc brycg" meaning a timber foot bridge after the original bridge that crossed the Water of Leith, the main river flowing through Edinburgh. Originally a small outlying village, Stockbridge was incorporated into the City of Edinburgh in the 19th century. Many of the row houses, including ours, were built 100+ years ago.

Raeburn Place is the main retail thoroughfare, and the playing fields there were the location of the first international rugby match when the Edinburgh Academy hosted the game between Scotland and England in 1871. The beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens are located nearby. The Hogwarts school featured in the Harry Potter books and movies was based on Fettes College, is a few blocks from our flat.

Stockbridge has a definite Bohemian vibe and many artists, musicians, poets, writers and thespians have made the area their home. It contains many speciality shops, many charity shops, and dozens of restaurants and retail shops. The original "Mrs. Doubtfire," popularized by the movie staring Robin Williams, lived and ran a rag and bone shop in Stockbridge.